Onion ring separator



United States Patent 72] Inventor [54] ONION RING SEPARATOR 26 Claims, 7Drawing Figs.

52 US. Cl 146/1, 146/237 [5|] Int. Cl A23n 15/00 B26d 3/26, B26d 5/00[50] Field of Search 99/lnq Jenkins; 146/1, 83, 237,52

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,577,086 12/1951 Magnuson vl46/83UX 3.402748 9/1968 Olney l46/83X Primary Examiner-W. GraydonAbercrombie AttorneyMolinare, Allegretti, Newitt, and Witcotf ABSTRACT:A separator for sliced onions operable to separate the rings thereof foruse in the production of French fried onion rings. Sliced onions aredelivered to a platform having a series of perforations throughout itsextent, and through which plungers periodically project, the plungersbeing successively projected in such manner as to agitate and vibrateonion slices delivered to an intake end of the platform. The plungersprojecting through the perforations of the platform engage the onionslices and separate them into rings. Means is provided to advance theslices and rings toward a discharge end of the platform with the slicesall separated into rings, except for small ones around the hearts of theonions, by the time they reach the discharged end. The platform isflexible and the plungers have shoulders which knock against theplatform to vibrate it, thus jostling the onions and rings to moreefficiently separate the onions into rings. By omitting plungers fromsome of the perforations, the onion hearts may be discarded before therings reach the discharge end of the platform, those small enoughpassing through the perforations from which the plungers are omitted.The means to advance the onions along the platform may be gravity for aplatform inclined slightly downward. or circulated water in which casethe platform may be inclined slightly upward.

Patented Oct. 20, 1970 3,534,792

Sheet 1 of 3 INVENTOR. Gf/PALD (I URLUWSK/ BY 6, ATTORNEYS Patented Oct.20, 1970 INVENTO GERALD J. ORLOl l/ A TTOE /VE Y5 ONION RING SEPARATORBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore onions have been peeled andsliced manually and the onion slices separated into rings manually. Theexisting method of preparing onion rings for batter and breading beforethey are French fried is primarily done by hand operation. Some machinesare available for cutting the ends from the onions such as shown inBoyer Pat. No. 2,961,023, but usually this is done by hand and theonions are hand peeled, and some machines such as bread slicing machinesare available for slicing the onions preparatory to separating the ringsthereof.

I have not been able to find any satisfactory peeling machines foronions. My copending application Ser. No. 827,683, filed May 26, 1969discloses an end cutting machine for cutting the root and stem from theonion in a manner suitable for delivery to a peeling machine such asshown in my copending application Ser. No. 827,672, filed May 26, 1969,from which the peeled onions may be delivered to a slicing machine suchas shown in my copending application Ser. No. 745,900, filed July 18,I968. The slicing machine may then deliver the onion slices to thepresently disclosed onion ring separator.

Heretofore machines of shaker type and tumbling barrels have been usedfor onion ring separation purposes but are inefficient. Another methodis submerging in boiling water, but mostly the rings have heretoforebeen separated by hand.

My present invention contemplates a mechanical onion ring separatorwhich will separate sliced onions into rings in an automatic manner andcan be arranged as a fourth machine in an onion ring production linewherein my end cutting machine, my peeling machine and my slicingmachine as just referred to precede the present onion ring separator.

One object of the invention is to provide a comparatively simple andinexpensive separator in which a platform is provided to receive slicedonions at one end and deliver onion rings at the other end.

Another object is to provide separating means associated with theplatform in the form of plungers distributed across the span of theplatform and projectable, each through an opening thereof, to a shortdistance above the upper surface of the platform so as to engage slicedonions and knock and vibrate them to separate them into their individualrings.

Another object is to provide means for projecting the plungerscomprising a cam shaft having a succession of cams thereon operable toperiodically depress the plungers and then let them knock against thebottom of the platform.

Still another object is to provide means for actuating shoul deredplungers comprising cams which have drop lobes, the plungers beingspring biased toward the bottom of the platform and their shouldersthereby operable to impart knocking action thereagainst due to thespring bias.

A further object is to provide the succession of cams on a single camshaft and arrange for the lobes thereof to be so spacedcircumferentially of the cam shaft so as to provide an undulatingsequence of plunger projections through the openings of the platform formost effective separation of the onion slices into their individualrings.

Still a further object is to provide a platform which is somewhatflexible to accentuate the undulating action and accordingly the onionring separation capability of the machine.

An additional object is to provide the platform and plungers submergedin a tank of waterto reduce the-bacteria count and circulate the waterin order to use the flow thereof as a means to advancethe onion slicesand rings along the platform from the intake end thereof tothe'discharge end thereof.

Another additional object is to provide a sump, pump, valve and nozzlearrangement for circulating the water in .such manner as to control thecirculation by adjustment of the valve and utilize the discharge fromthe nozzles to circulate the water in the proper direction for advancingthe onion rings along the platform as desired. I

Still another additional object is to provide a modified form of theinvention in which the separating operation is performed dry, theplatform being inclined downwardly and arranged to permit automaticseparation of hearts from the onion slices through perforations of theplatform which do not have plungers in them.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A separator for onion rings is providedhaving a frame on which a perforated flexible platform is mounted, meansbeing provided to vibrate the platform for separating onion slicesdelivered to the platform into rings and discharge the rings from theplatform. By submerging the platform and plungers in water andcirculating the water a means is provided for conveying the onion slicesand rings along the platform from the intake end thereof to thedischarge end thereof. Provision is also made for separating hearts fromthe onion rings if desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation, partly insection, showing my onion ring separator;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the lines 4-4 of FIGS. 1and 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 55 of FIG. 3showing the vibrating action imparted to the plat form of my onion ringseparator by plungers of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a similar sectional view showing a modified form of theinvention; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to a portion of FIG. 1 involving themodification of FIG. 6.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character F toindicate in general a supporting frame for my onion ring separator. Theframe F may be formed of square stainless steel tubing wherein theelements thereof are welded together. An open top tank T is supported inthe frame F, and the frame includes a peripheral arrangement of angleshaped elements 10 as shown in cross section, particularly in FIGS. 11and 4, for supporting a platform P. The periphery of the platform isloosely supported by the angle elements 10 by means of a peripheraldownwardly extending flange 112. The platform is preferably formed offlexible plastic material such as polyurethane or the like and isprovided with a plurality of perforations 14 which, as shown in FIGS. 41and 5 for instance, are reinforced by bosses 16, the entire platform, itflanges l2 and its bosses 16 being molded in one piece.

Projectable through each perforation M is a plunger 18 having a shoulder20. The plungers are arranged in rows with those in each row supportedon a shaft 19 shown in FIG. 4, and the shaft is supported by a plungeractuating yoke 22, the central portion of which is pivoted to one end ofa Z shaped plunger actuating arm 24. The plurality of arms 24 rest on apivot shaft 26 supported by the frame F, and are in turn actuated by acam shaft 28 having thereon a cam 30 for the other (upper) end of eacharm 24. The arms 24 have projections 32 engaging the cams 30, which maybe provided with rollers if desired. The carns have preferably drop-typelobes as illustrated in FIG. 4 which are oriented alternately 180 apart.A spring 34 for each arm 24 is adapted to bias each projection 32towardits cam 30. The spring is mounted on a rod 36 connected with the upperend of the arm 24 as shown in .FIG. 4

,5 andprovided with adjusting nuts 38 for the tension of the spring 34.All rods 36 extend slidably through a bar 40 supported by the frame F.

. For rotating the cam shaft 28 amotor 42 including suitable stepdowngearing drives a shaft M which is operatively con nected to the camshaft 28 as by a chain 46 shown in FIG. 3.

The tank T is adapted to contain water in which the platform P and theplungers 18 are submerged, the approximate water level being shown at48. At the right-hand end of the tank T in FIG. I is a sump 50 toreceive water flowing off the platform P, and a pipe 52 leads therefromto a pump 54. A pipe 56 leads from the outlet of the pump 54 to aregulating valve 58 and from the valve a pipe 59 leads to a manifold 60across the left end of the tank in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 also shows the sump 50at the right-hand end and the manifold 60 at the lefthand end. Aplurality of nozzles 62 direct water from the manifold 60 toward theplatform P as indicated by the arrow 63 in FIG. 1. At the top of thesump 50 is a roller 64 suitably driven as by gears 66 and a chain 68from the motor shaft 44.

In FIG. 6 a modification is shown wherein the plungers 18 are omittedfrom some of the openings 14, such openings being designated 14a in thisFIG. and shown of larger diameter. An onion heart 74 is shown dotted inone of the openings 14a to illustrate separation of hearts from thelarger rings used for French-frying purposes.

FIG. 7 shows the platform of FIG. 6 used as a dry" type of separator byomitting the tank T and pump system described in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive.Preferably the platform P is inclined slightly downward for a purposewhich will hereinafter appear.

FIGS. 1 and 7 show in dot-and-dash lines a delivery conveyor 70 and atake-away chute 72 for delivering sliced onions, as from the slicingmachine of my copending application Ser. No. 745,900 hereinbeforereferred to, to the onion ring separator (intake end thereof) and forreceiving the onion rings from the discharge end of the platform P anddelivering them to mechanism and/or personnel for further processingtoward the finished French fried onion rings.

PRACTICAL OPERATION In the operation of my onion ring separator, slicedonions are delivered by the delivery conveyor 70 at the left-hand end ofFIGS. 1 and 3 while the pump 54 is in operation to cause a circulationof water according to the arrow 63 which circulation tends to advancethe slices of onions and the rings separated therefrom along theplatform I to the roller 64 over which the separated rings are rolled toprevent them from entering the sump 50. To somewhat retard the movementof the onion slices and rings along the platform it is inclined slightlyupward as shown in FIG. 1 which inclination, in combination with aregulated flow of water by means of the valve 58 produces the desiredspeed of travel of the onion slices and rings through the separator.Also this arrangement gives a greater depth of water at the intake endof the platform than at the discharge end which aids in the separatingaction on the onion slices.

As the cams 30 rotate they cause the plungers 18 to rise and fall asshown in FIG. 5, accomplished of course by the rotation of the camswhich have alternate lobes 180 apart. Accordingly while one row ofplungers is rising the next row is falling and vice versa. By the use ofdrop-type lobes and spring bias produced by the springs 34, the plungersare gradually lowered and suddenly elevated so that their shoulders 20knock against the lower ends of the hubs 16 as shown by the second andfourth plungers in FIG. 5. Since the platform is flexible it will bendas illustrated from the normal level formation shown by dot-and-dashlines when the shoulders 20 engage and elevate the hubs 16, thus givingan undulating motion to the platform P which I find very effective inseparating the onion slices into their individual rings. Also theprojection of the plungers above the top of the platform aids in thisrespect and the undulating motion accentuates the separating action ofthe platform on the onion slices.

The turbulance of the water in the tank T caused by the operation of thepump 54 also helps to separate the onion slices into individual ringsand keeps the bacteria countdown, an important consideration from thestandpoint of sanitation as required by pure food laws.

Small installations with limited production capacity are possiblewithout the provision of a tank T and water therein as shown in themodified embodiment of my onion ring separator of FIG. 7. With this dry"type of separator it is also possible to omit the plungers from some ofthe openings 14 (such as 14a in FIG. 6) and these will serve as a meansto receive onion hearts and permitthem to fall through and thus beseparated from the onion rings suitable for French-frying purposes. Thesize of these openings may be varied for gauging the sizes of onionhearts to be discarded, being shown larger in FIG. 6 than the ones forthe plungers l8.

By inclining the platform P in FIG. 7 slightly downward gravitycooperates in causing the onion slices and rings to advance from theintake end of the platform toward the discharge end thereof.

lclaim:

1. An onion ring separator comprising a perforated platform having anintake end and a discharge end, means for delivering onion slices tosaid intake end, means for separating the onion slices into theirseparate rings compri'sing'plungers projectable through saidperforations, and meansto periodically cause projection thereof toengage the onion slices and rings and impart a bouncing movement theretowith respect to said platform.

2. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim I wherein means isprovided to advance said onion slices and rings from said intake end ofsaid perforated platform to said discharge end thereof.

3. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lastmeans comprises a cam shaft, and cams thereon which cooperate with saidplungers to periodically elevate them.

4. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 3 wherein saidplungers have shoulder means engagable with the bottom of said platformto knock thereagainst and thereby impart vibrations thereto.

5. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 4 wherein saidplatform is composed of flexible material to permit bending thereof whenengaged by said shoulder means to thereby accentuate the vibrationsthereof.

6. An onion ring separator in ac rdance with claim 3 wherein said camshave drop-type lobes and said plungers are spring biased in a directiontoward said platform.

7. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 4 wherein each ofsaid cams has a drop-type lobe and said plungers are spring biased in adirection toward said platform.

8. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 5 wherein saidplungers are spring biased toward said cams and said shoulders arethereby biased toward said platform.

9. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidplatform is composed of flexible material to permit bending thereof,said means to periodically cause projection of said plungers through theperforations of said platform comprises a cam shaft, cams thereonoperatively associated with said plungers, and said plungers haveshoulder means to engage the bottom of said platform and thereby impartvibrations thereto to jostle the onion slices and rings thereon.

I0. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 9 wherein theperforations of said platform are arranged in lateral and longitudinalrows, means for connecting the plungers of each row together, and eachof said connecting means being responsive to a separate cam on said camshaft.

11. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 10 wherein each ofsaid connecting means is spring biased toward said platform and saidplungers have shoulder means to knock against the bottom of saidplatform due to such spring bias.

12. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 11 wherein saidcams are of the drop-lobe type to accentuate the knocking action of saidshoulder means against said platform.

13. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 9 wherein alternatecams on said cam shaft have their lobes oriented I part.

14. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 5 wherein a frameis provided for said onion ring separator, said platform has its'sideedges loosely mounted thereon, and said cam shaft is journaled on saidframe.

15. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 14 wherein theintake and discharge ends of said platform are also loosely mounted onsaid frame.

16. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 1 wherein a tank isprovided, and said perforated platform and said plungers are locatedtherein and submerged under water therein.

17. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 16 wherein means isprovided for circulating the water in said tank by directing it oversaid perforated platform from the intake end toward the discharge endthereof.

18. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 17 wherein saidplatform is inclined upwardly from said intake end to said discharge endthereof.

19. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 17 wherein saidmeans for circulating comprises a pump, and valve means for regulatingthe degree of circulation and thereby the rate of advancement of saidonion slices and rings from said intake end to said discharge end ofsaid platform.

20. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 17 wherein saidwater circulating means includes a sump at the discharge end of saidperforated platform and noule at the intake end thereof directed towardsaid discharge end.

21. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 19 wherein saidplatform is slightly inclined upwardly from said intake end thereof tosaid discharge end thereof, and means is provided for advancing saidonion slices and rings along said platform to the discharge end thereof.

22. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 1 wherein plungersproject through only some of said perforations and the remainingperforations provide for exit of onion hearts therethrough beforereaching said discharge end of said platform.

23. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim l wherein theperforations of said platform are arranged in rows, said plungers areprovided for only some of said rows and the remaining rows are providedfor the passage therethrough of onion hearts gauged by the diameters ofthe perforations ofsaid remaining row.

24. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 1 wherein saidperforated platform is slightly inclined downwardly from said intake endthereof to said discharge end thereof whereby the onion rings and slicesgravitate from said intake end to said discharge end.

25. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 16 wherein a rolleris provided at said discharge end of said platform, and means isprovided for rotating said roller to discharge onion rings from saidplatform and away from the discharge end thereof.

26. An onion ring separator in accordance with claim 25 wherein means isprovided for withdrawing water from the discharge end of said platformand recirculating it, discharging the same at said intake end and towardsaid discharge end, the intake for said pump means being in the form ofa sump beyond the discharge end of said platform, and said roller beinglocated at the top thereof to cause onion rings to pass over said sump.

